Salvia chamelaeagnea

Description

Salvia chamelaeagnea is a species of flowering plant in genus Salvia, known as sages. It is endemic to South Africa, where it grows on the western coastline of the Cape of Good Hope. It is a shrubby perennial herb up to 6 feet (1.8 metres) tall and 4 feet (1.2 metres) wide. It bears three-quarters-inch (two-centimetre) light violet-blue flowers with pale lower lips and white throats. The small, green leaves release a slight medicinal odor when brushed. In the wild, the plant grows in sandy soil in streambeds, open fields, and roadsides. It is cultivated for gardens. Common names for the plant in Afrikaans include Afrikaanse salie and bloublommetjiesalie. Salvia is the largest genus of plants in the sage family Lamiaceae, with nearly 1000 species of shrubs, herbaceous perennials, and annuals. Within the Lamiaceae, Salvia is part of the tribe Mentheae within the subfamily Nepetoideae. One of several genera commonly referred to as sage, it includes two widely used herbs, Salvia officinalis (common sage, or just "sage") and Salvia rosmarinus (rosemary, formerly Rosmarinus officinalis). The genus is distributed throughout the Old World and the Americas (over 900 total species), with three distinct regions of diversity: Central America and South America (approximately 600 species); Central Asia and the Mediterranean (250 species); Eastern Asia (90 species). The name Salvia derives from Latin salvia (sage), from salvus (safe, secure, healthy), an adjective related to salūs (health, well-being, prosperity or salvation), and salvēre (to feel healthy, to heal). Pliny the Elder was the first author known to describe a plant called "Salvia" by the Romans, likely describing the type species for the genus Salvia, Salvia officinalis. The common modern English name sage derives from Middle English sawge, which was borrowed from Old French sauge, from Latin salvia (the source of the botanical name). When used without modifiers, the name 'sage' generally refers to Salvia officinalis ("common sage" or "culinary sage"), although it is used with modifiers to refer to any member of the genus. The ornamental species are commonly referred to by their genus name Salvia.